Two days before an Etisalat event at Atlantis, I was booked to perform. I wanted to bring technology into the magic, which meant those two days needed to turn an idea into something I could put in front of a real audience.
The event took place in a ballroom in the morning. Returning to Atlantis brought back memories before the performance had begun. I spent seven years as resident magician at Atlantis The Palm, from November 2018 to December 2025, performing at Nobu and Seafire. It had been a regular part of my working life for a long time.
This visit had a different shape. I was there for a corporate event, bringing an iPad and a performance that would also involve borrowed phones. It was a familiar place in which to try a direction I was keen to develop, with the preparation of the previous two days behind me.
I enjoy the possibilities of digital magic because the objects are already familiar. People use their phones throughout the day. They know what they expect from a screen, and that familiarity gives a magical moment somewhere to begin.
A borrowed phone adds something personal. The person taking part recognises it as an object from their own life, rather than something unfamiliar I have introduced. I like working with that connection, keeping attention on the person involved and on what everyone can experience together.
The guests loved the tech magic. Their enthusiastic reactions were a pleasure to see, particularly after the short preparation period. I had combined the iPad with borrowed phones, and it was satisfying to watch those everyday devices become part of an interaction the audience enjoyed.
Preparing for this booking meant making choices. With two days available, I had to concentrate on what I could develop and perform well. There was little room to keep adding possibilities; an idea needed to become clear enough to rehearse and practical enough to use at the event.
That is a useful distinction when you enjoy experimenting. It is easy to stay interested in what something might become. A performance date asks you to decide what it is going to be now, then work through the details until you are ready to stand in front of people.
I had been spending time exploring AI and technology, and this event brought that curiosity close to the work I know best. I enjoyed having a reason to move from thinking about the possibilities to preparing an experience. The audience’s response gave me encouragement to keep exploring.
Atlantis made the morning feel personal as well. After years at Nobu and Seafire, I was back with a different brief and something new to work on. I was glad to return that way, carrying familiar memories into a performance built around an iPad and the guests’ own phones.
I am pleased with what came together for that booking. Next time, a little more preparation time would also be welcome.
